[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 147 (Wednesday, September 20, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9254]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         THE CONTRACT WITH AMERICA: WHAT IT MEANS FOR MEDICARE

  (Mr. BROWN of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks and include 
extraneous material.)
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, three things will happen if the 
Republicans get their way with Medicare. No. 1, senior citizens will 
pay more in premiums. Hold on to your wallet, because House Republicans 
under Newt Gingrich have proposed a 100-percent increase in the monthly 
Medicare premium. That is right, a 100-percent increase, the largest 
premium increase in Medicare history.
  The second thing that will happen is senior citizens will find it 
harder to choose their own doctor. Senate Republicans would try to push 
people into managed care, taking away their right to physician choice.
  The third thing that will happen, Mr. Speaker, if Republicans get 
their way with Medicare, is that the American middle class will 
subsidize a huge tax break for the richest Americans.
  We are starting to see the main effect of the Contract With America, 
a shift of money from the middle class to the rich. The Gingrich gravy 
train means at least $245 billion in tax breaks for the wealthiest 
Americans. And guess who pays the bill?
  Mr. Speaker, Gingrich Republicans want to give the American people 
the largest Medicare cut in American history. It is simply not right.


                          ____________________